Friedrich Merz, the Chancellor of Germany, said on Tuesday that Moscow has proven it is not ready for "serious talks." These remarks came after Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, criticized an unexpected meeting with his German counterpart.
Historic Meeting of Foreign Ministers
Johann Wadephul, the German Foreign Minister, met with Lavrov on Saturday at the United Nations, marking the first meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Following this meeting, Lavrov described Wadephul's assessments as "nothing new."
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Merz's Response to Lavrov
Merz responded to Lavrov's statements at a press conference in Berlin, saying: "Russia's subsequent assessments of this meeting indicate that apparently Moscow has no interest in serious talks at this time." He emphasized: "Therefore, we will do everything we can to assist Ukraine - not only militarily but also politically, financially, and economically."
Merz's remarks were made in response to Lavrov's significantly critical assessments of his meeting with Wadephul. Lavrov had previously stated that Wadephul raised points that were "completely repetitive" and told him that they could have had this conversation over the phone.
Germany's Position on Russia
Before meeting with Lavrov, Wadephul described Donald Trump's invitation to Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, to the G20 summit in Miami as an "opportunity," raising questions about Germany's shifting diplomatic stance towards Russia. He also stated that his aim for this meeting was to tell Lavrov that Germany is ready to defend itself.
Merz further emphasized that Germany's demands from the Kremlin remain unchanged: the cessation of Russia's aggression, the inclusion of Europeans in any negotiations to end the war, and providing a pathway for Ukraine's membership in the European Union.
Merz also stated: "I can only say once again that Russia will not win this war and that Russia itself will suffer significant damage - including to its economy." He added that if Russia continues this war, it will pay a heavy price.
